Raymond Carver’s works were not the works of Raymond Carver. It is true that his works were written by him. However, many of his works were not completed by him. They were completed by his editor, Gordon Lish. In other words, Carver entrusted Lish with the proofreading for his works. When publishing What We Talk About […]
Introduction to Narratology
With an object in front of someone, how would the object be explained? To put it more succinctly, when we tell something to others ― telling a new car to your friend who is not unfamiliar with ― we need to make the explanation to be interesting for him/her. In this situation, we must consider […]
The Charm in Tragedies: Why People Enjoy Them
Say you’ve watched a good movie with a tragic ending. Even though it made you sad, you found it enjoyable. Why is that? Tragedies in plays, movies, games etc. have been around for a long time as a form of entertainment. From Shakespeare to NeiR: Automata, tragedies continue to charm people through the ages. And […]
Best modern films that take you back to the 1980’s
What time period would you choose to visit if you could travel in time? Well, it seems like the 1980’s would be a popular choice. With the nostalgic vibes and great works of pop music, films that are set in the 1980’s have been incredibly popular in and outside Hollywood recently. Here I am going […]
“Jinbo Town Book Festival” is on!!
If you are in Japan and love reading books, Jinbo town (神保町: Jinbo-cho) is the right place for you! The Book Town Jinbo Jinbo town is said to be the largest antiquarian bookstore area in the world, and often called as “the town of books”. Once you come out from the Jinbo-cho station, you will […]
What makes Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes so popular?
When one is asked to name a famous British novel, I am sure that most people will either mention The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes or Harry Potter. Translated into countless languages, the two works are not only popular in Britain, but is loved by people all around the globe. So, what makes the two novels so successful? Although […]
Kawaii Culture:from Japan to the World
What comes to you when you hear the word “kawaii”? Perhaps some of you imagine Japanese “kawaii culture” which has been popular around the world in recent years. In 2009, Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced “pop culture diplomacy” and in 2011, Japanese Ministry of Economy declared “cool Japan strategy”. These two policies included the […]
A Hike into a world of Haiku
The ancient pond A frog leaps in The sound of the water. – Matsuo Basho (Translated by Donald Keene) Have you ever heard about Haiku, which is the shortest poem in the world? It is a type of Japanese poem, originated in 17th century. Japanese people have been enjoying and loving it, for more than 400 years, […]